Bribe Figure Sponsored By D`arco

February 02, 1985

A former city employee accused of being the bagman in an alleged Chicago bribery scheme was recommended for his most recent city job by 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman John D`Arco, a reputed associate of crime syndicate members, City Hall sources said Friday.

Victor J. Albanese, 49, of 815 S. Albany Ave., a 1st Ward resident, was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Milton Shadur. Albanese pleaded guilty to extorting $5,000 in bribes from a tavern owner seeking a city liquor license in 1983 and 1984.

At the sentencing hearing, Assistant U.S. Atty. Joseph Duffy said Albanese was at the center of a federal investigation of at least three aldermen, several police officers, more than a dozen city employees and a Circuit Court judge.

The people under investigation have allegedly taken bribes to issue tavern licenses, overlook building code violations, procure zoning changes and fix parking and traffic tickets.

At the time he took the bribes for which he pleaded guilty, Albanese was a $900-a-month investigator for the Chicago City Council Finance Committee, headed by Ald. Edward Burke (14th), who said he asked Albanese to resign four months ago when he learned of the federal inquiry.

Before joining the Finance Committee staff on D`Arco`s recommendation, Albanese worked in the city Housing Department in 1982 and 1983.

The housing commissioner at the time, Gilbert Cataldo, also had close ties to the 1st Ward Democratic Organization.

Cataldo is now general manager of the Port of Chicago.

Before joining the Housing Department, Albanese reportedly worked for seven years at two major downtown hotels, managing room service.

In 1960, a Victor J. Albanese, was among six city laborers fired from the Department of Streets and Sanitation for allegedly collecting overtime pay fradulently.